Releasable ignition key case



Jan.'5, 1937, R. H. JOHNSON RELEASABLE IGNITION KEY CASE Fil ed Ju ne 22, 1953 Patented Jan. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES ATENT QFFIcE 3 Claims.

This is a divisional key case with a releasable ignition key supporting means. A feature resides in a key case wherein a number of keys may be held in a flexible case with individual divisions and spaces for each key so that the keys will not bear against each other and may be concealed within the walls of the case and may be freely accessible when desired for use.

A primary feature resides in a quickly releasable ignition key supporting means, together with a central compartment which is always open into which the ignition key may fold when not desired for use, so as to contain the same between the flexible walls of the case, and to permit the ejection of the keys with a flip of the thumb, eliminating the necessity of snapping and unsnapping fasteners. Further, the car keys can be ejected without removing the gloves, which is particularly convenient in cold weather.

The construction of the central compartment with staples so distanced from end posts acts as a guide to car keys and keeps them from sinking below a certain level. The position of the staples permits keys to enter each recess far enough to secret keys entirely, thereby protecting clothes, yet holding keys in such a position that they are readily ejected. The staples act as a means of creating sufficient side pressure upon car keys to prevent their dropping out of their recess until forcibly ejected. This provides a compact key case of a very desirable nature. The releasable ignition key supporting means is a primary convenience to an autoist, because it permitshim to easily remove the ignition key upon parking his car in a garage, without disturbing the other keys in the divisional key case.

A further feature of my key case resides in forming the body of the same of leather or any other flexible material, such as leatherized fabric or material which is flexible and soft, so as to be more desirable to carry in ones pocket, concealing the keys within the same and thus protecting the pocket of the user of the key case. I accomplish this in a simple manner by stamping out the key case from a single piece of leather or the like, with the outline design, and a series of similarly shaped walls integrally connected together, and then folding the same so as to provide a compact body with a series of individual key slots between the walls, the keys being held at either end by adjustable shanks extending through the walls of the case. The openings through which the key supporting shanks extend may be eyeletted to reinforce the same.

A still further feature resides in providing a closing flap which overlies one side of thekey case and closes the inner compartments thereof, while the opposite side to the flap provides a slot in the back of the case into which the ignition key may be very conveniently folded. The ignition key of an automobile is used considerably and thus by providing a key case of the nature which I have set forth, I am able to give to the user a key case of a compact nature which is adapted'to hold a series of keys in individual slots and not bearing against each other, yet having all of the keys selectively accessible at any time.

In the drawing I have illustrated my divisional key case in a preferred form.

Figure 1 illustrates my key case, showing the ignition key in the clip which removably supports the same, extending from one end thereof.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 33 ofFigure 1,'showing in dotted form the act of removing the ignition key.

Figure 4 is an enlarged side view of the spring steel ignition key supporting clip.

Figure 5 is a perspective of my key case, showing the closing flap open, and showing the keys all extended therefrom.

Figure 6 is a perspectiveview illustrating the easy manner in which the ignition key is always accessible from the back slot ofthe body of the key case.

Figure 7 shows a died-out formation of the side walls, body and flap of my key case, to illustrate the integral construction thereof.

Figure 8 is a perspective showing the manner in which my key case is made up by folding the central walls together and connecting them to form the back slot for the ignition key in the body of the same.

My key case A is formed of leather or other flexible material to provide the body portion thereof, having side walls I0, ll, I2 and i3, and with the closing flap [4 extending from the wall l0. Figure 7 illustrates the died-out formation of the body of my key case A.

The body of my key case A when formed of leather, leatherized fabric or similar material, is soft and pliable, and provides a desirable covering and closure for the keys. After the body has been formed died-out in the form illustrated in Figure '7, to shape the side walls [0, ll, I2 and I3, as illustrated, the walls are adapted to first be folded together on the central line I5 into the position illustrated in Figure 8, and then by means of suitable staples, such as IE, or other means of connecting the walls H and I2, they are secured together which forms the back ignition key slot I 1. Suitable eyelets l8 may be inserted in the ends of the walls to form a reinforcing means through which the shank of the key supporting bolt I9 is adapted to extend. The bolt I9 is formed with a removable head which is threaded into one end of the hollow bolt l9 and thus the bolt may be readily attached through the eyelets l8 to form a shank on which the keys B may be supported.

The ignition key C is adapted to be supported by the spring steel clip D which is supported on the shank of the bolt IS in a manner to permit the key C to be folded into the back slot l! of the key case A. The back slot ll of the key case A is always open so that the ignition key C may be readily accessible and easily ejected without having to snap or unsnap fasteners, as illustrated in Figure 6.

If an automobile requires an ignition key, and a door and tire lock key, such as E, the same may be placed in the opposite end of the slot IT to the ignition key C so that it also may be readily accessible. Thus the ignition key C and such other automobile keys as E, may be held within the slot I'i quickly and readily accessible and instantly ejected at all times without disturbing the other keys B which are adapted to be held in the individual slots 2| and 22, closed between the outer side walls In and. I3. The key slots 2! and 22 are closed by the closure flap M which is secured by a catch 24. Normally the slots 2| and 22 are closed by the flap M.

The ignition key C is so often used that it is desirable to have it readily accessible. The spring clip D which holds the ignition key is provided with a tongue 25 which projects from one side 26 of the clip and which is adapted to fit into the recess 21 formed in the other side 28 thereof so as to provide an engaging lug for supporting the key C to the clip. When it is desired to remove the key C from the clip D it is only necessary to pry the same to the side, as illustrated in dotted outline in Figure 3, and the key C may be removed. The key C may be inserted in the same manner by prying the sides 26 and 28 apart and inserting the key on the supporting lug 25.

A feature resides in the compact nature in which my key case is made. The body is formed from. a single piece of leather and the sides are of a uniform shape so that when they are folded together they provide an elongated flexible key case having separate divisions for each key and holding the keys between the soft leather walls against contacting with each other, thereby providing a very desirable support for a series of keys as well as permitting the keys to be selectively supported and providing an ignition key support which permits the ignition key to be quickly removed from the case A without disturbing any of the other keys in any way.

The shape of the walls of the case may be varied to conform with the size and nature of the case desired, the general structure and function and arrangement of the same, however, are in accord with the foregoing disclosure to provide a compact divisional key case.

A further advantage of my key case resides in making it easy to place the keys in their individual position between the walls of the case. This permits the user of my key case to easily find the key desired, knowing exactly where it is located at all times, and the keys that are used less often are confined within the inner parts where they are concealed, while other keys may be held in the open slot in the back of the case.

It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise detail of construction illustrated, but should be considered. with variations within the scope of the appending claims to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A key case having a body portion formed oi flexible material died-out to form a series of wall portions having substantially the same dimensions and integrally connected together, the central walls being folded together, means for connecting said central walls intermediate the ends, a flap extending from the outer wall on one side and adapted to overlie the central walls and the outer wall on the opposite side, means for securing said flap, means adjacent the Wall ends for holding said walls together and for forming a key supporting means, and an open key back slot formed in the side of the case opposite to said closing flap.

2. A key case formed of flexible material including, a series of substantially uniform side walls integrally connected together, a closing flap extending from one of said side walls, means for locking said flap to one of the other of the side walls, means for securing the center walls together intermediate the ends in a manner to lie in parallel relation to each other and to form an open back key slot and means adjacent the wall ends for holding said walls together and for forming a key supporting means.

3. A key case having a flexible body portion formed from a single piece of sheet material, uniformly shaped walls formed in said body portion, holes for key bolts in the ends of said walls, means for securing two of said walls together between said key bolt holes to form an open back key slot, and a closure flap for closing the other key slots formed between said side walls.

ROSS H. JOHNSON. 

